Reaching Childhood
by seerstella
Summary: A 25-year-old Yamada Miiko has a great life. Following her father's footsteps, she becomes a journalist. She has a good boyfriend, and they will marry soon. She has great friends who have stayed with her since they were kids. She isn't as naïve as herself when she was a little girl. She lives a good life, until something messes it up. Kocchimuite Miiko belongs to Ono Eriko
1. Miiko Interviews People

Title: Reaching Childhood

Author: Seer M. Anno

Genre: AU, when the kids are adults.

Disclaimer: Kocchimuite Miiko (c) Ono Eriko

Summary: A 25-year-old Yamada Miiko has a great life. Following her father's footsteps, she becomes a journalist. She has a good boyfriend, and they will marry soon. She has great friends who have stayed with her since they were kids. She isn't as naïve as herself when she was a little girl. She lives a good life, until something messes it up.

Warning: Probably a bit OOC, since they are adults, and adults don't act like children. Depression and disability.

Pairing: Miiko/Yoshida, Miiko/Tappei, Mamoru/Yuka, Yukko/Kenta

Rating: PG-13

A/N: I love these comics since I was in the junior high, and since there's so few fics about it, I want to contribute one. At first I want to write in Indonesian, but turned out a bit odd, so here it goes! Flames are mocked, and reviews are accepted in both English and Indonesian. This is unbeta'd, and I don't know much about Japanese, and baseball, culture. Sorry for maybe some skipping here and there. ^^

* * *

**Reaching Childhood**

**Kocchimuite Miiko**

**Seer M. Anno**

* * *

**Chapter One: Miiko Interviews People**

* * *

Yamada Miiko smiled at her own reflection on the mirror as she combed her hair. She liked her wavy brown hair, and now she was proud when people told her that she resembled her father very much. As if she wasn't satisfied by only copying her father's appearances, she became a journalist as well. She totally became Yamada Kousuke's shadow, but she didn't mind it at all.

"There will be an interview," she reminded herself. "The Japanese National Baseball team. In 2. In 2. Mamo will be there. I can do this. I can do this."

She walked out her bedroom, now dressed formally in a maroon blazer, white blouse and black trousers. She then wore her black, shiny high heels. She hated those shoes, because they made her feet cramped, but apparently she had to wear it. Even though she was now slightly taller than her mother, she was considered short between her women colleagues, and high heels helped.

She combed her hair once again before adding some powder on her face. Now, she was ready. She walked out her apartment and huffed. _Now wait_, she told herself.

Almost immediately, a car stopped in front of her, and the window slipped down slowly. "Morning," the man in the car greeted her, smiling. He was as charming as he had been in their elementary school, and that probably was what made Miiko loved him.

Miiko smiled and went in. "Morning," she said, placing a kiss on her boyfriend's cheek. "You're early, Ikuya."

Yoshida Ikuya laughed as he drove the car down the street. "Probably I just want to spend a bit of my morning with you. You know how I love morning times. Heard you'll interview your brother's team?"

Miiko huffed. "Yeah. It's gonna be awkward."

"Darling, you won't fail. He will be professional, no worries."

"You told me that for the thousandth time." Miiko smiled at him. "And Mari asked me to come tonight."

"To celebrate her new comic? This one is quite a hit, isn't it?"

"You can say that." Miiko leant on her seat. "We probably will end up making another one. You know Mari."

Ikuya laughed. "I can see that."

They stopped in front of a building, Miiko's office, Yamada Kousuke's former office. He had retired several years ago, and many people liked having Miiko around. She knew that some of her older colleagues still saw her as her father's daughter, but she didn't mind. Her father had excelled in his job, and she intended to be as good as he, if not better.

"Will you be home on six?" Miiko asked.

"Maybe, why?"

"Probably you want to join me to Mari's party tonight."

"Don't make me, darling," Ikuya answered, smiling. "I don't want to fall asleep in class, again, just because you two made me colouring this and that. My students laughed at me, you know."

Miiko smiled. Her boyfriend was a math teacher in an elementary school, and sometimes she didn't understand why people could love math. Those things could only make her brain cramped as bad as her feet. "Okay then. See you later."

They shared a kiss and Miiko went out the car.

* * *

"Hey, little brother," Miiko patted Mamoru's back. "Odd interview, eh?"

Mamoru rolled his eyes. He was giving his sister a lift tonight, since he was going to his girlfriend's house. Kobayashi Yuka shared the same building with Miiko, with only a floor distance.

"I can't imagine interviewing you again like that!" Miiko put her hands up. "'Mr. Yamada, can you explain how it feels to play in the National Team?'"

"Yes, that was awkward." Mamoru agreed. "When will you buy a car, Miiko? You know you can. Ikuya, Kenta, and I can't always be there to take you home."

His sister merely stared out the window. "I don't like driving. Besides, there are taxis around, don't bother."

Mamoru sighed. "Fine."

"How's Yuka?"

"Just like the old days," Mamoru said. "We got into another fight."

"Again?"

"Yeah. She complained about how long my practice hours were. And she still does."

"Can you talk to her? Or should I talk to her? I can drop by and..."

"No, don't bother," Mamoru hurriedly said. "I can manage this, Miiko. She's my girlfriend and we can work this out. Sad enough we're not roses and fireworks like you and Ikuya."

"I see." Miiko said indignantly, and there was silence.

"I'm sorry, sis," Mamoru said. "To be honest I envy you. Ikuya's a good man, and I can be nothing near him. You're lucky."

Miiko sighed. "I know, Mamo. And you're a great man too! Yuka knows that, but she needs to be reminded! She loves you and you love her and you two are just as lucky as Ikuya and I and..."

Her baby brother bit his lip. "You always know how to cheer me up, eh, Miiko?"

Miiko laughed. "Well... thanks. Knock some sense into her mind and she will be head over heels for you in no time."

* * *

A week later, Miiko walked towards her table and saw a small letter on it. She picked it up and opened the envelope. Her eyes widened as she read it. Why she had to do many awkward interviews? First Mamoru and now this?

The letter was about the interview task she had to do. There was a good swimmer in America, who was going to his hometown (yes, he was a Japanese) in his break. He had won some world swimming championship, and Miiko was given the opportunity to interview him. The time, date, and venue were already scheduled, and Miiko knew she had no escape.

Miiko held no problems with speaking English with this guy. Her English was quite fluent and she was proud of it. She thanked her mother for being a 'great' teacher with her scolds and threats.

The problem was the swimmer himself.

"Eguchi Tappei."

* * *

A/N: So? Gimana? What do you think? Bagus nggak? :D


	2. Tappei's Coming Back to Town

**Chapter Two: Tappei's Coming Back to Town**

* * *

"Tappei!"

Eguchi Tappei rose from the pool, a polite smile tugging on his lips at the sight of his friend. He nodded at his friend, another swimmer named Reagan Jones. It wasn't a secret that the American girl considered him as more than friends, but Tappei paid her no heed. He liked having her around, but he never considered of being her boyfriend.

"When'll you go back?" she asked.

"Probably in three or four months," he answered in his now-fluent English and took off his swimming goggles.

"What a break. It'll be so quiet without you around for months," she said, almost whiny. Tappei rolled his eyes and took his towel. He smirked at her, dried his own body, and grabbed his bag.

"I miss my hometown, Jones."

"I told you, it's Reagan," she was really whining now. "And will you write to me when you're there? I want to know more about Japan."

"If I had time, I would. Now I gotta go."

"See you! Hope you have a great holiday!" Jones laughed softly as she left, leaving him alone.

Tappei walked into the bathroom and took a quick bath in the quiet bathroom. He wanted to be ready as soon as possible. So he wanted to go home as fast as he could. He missed his hometown and his old friends. He closed his eyes as the warm water doused his slender, athletic body. He let himself drown in old memories and self-guilt.

When his parents finished filling the divorce papers, he was taken to America by his father. Last thing he heard about his mother was that she remarried, and he had a stepsister. He never saw her, and he didn't really care either.

His father had registered him in a small swimming community near their new house, and that was the beginning of everything. He had been head over heels with swimming, and he still was. But he also knew that swimming took away his old friends. He became more and more tired, and much busier. He hadn't had time to speak to them, and since he left without telling, his guts lessened much more. That made him lose his old friends, and he found out that he finally could live without them.

He couldn't tell his childhood friends that he would leave, even in their graduation day, and he knew they hated him so much. He couldn't stand people crying for his farewell, let alone in that happy day. So he left, and realised (a bit too late) that he had no time left to say goodbye.

Kenta and Ogawa—Yukko, she was no longer Ogawa—whom he had met accidentally in their honeymoon last year, practically punched him for not telling. Well, actually Kenta _had_ punched him.

They had been in Australia at that time, and Tappei had entered in one of the swimming competitions. His eye had been bruised when he won the second place. _Kenta still has a fist of steel_, he mused. Maybe it was because he had made breads since he was a little kid.

Kenta and Yukko had come the night before they went back to Japan, and Tappei had been preparing his things to go back to America as well. Although Tappei had said nothing, they filled the awkward conversation with stories about their friends, and what they had become.

Yukko had told him about Shimura making comics for living. Tappei had scoffed; he had known that she would do that someday. About Yoshida being a math teacher (so?). Yoshiki had become a script writer, and was quite well-known for making sci-fi movies. Tappei smiled to himself. _Obviously_.

Kenta had said that he had owned a huge bakery, and Yukko had been a social worker for several months. _That suits them_. Their teacher had retired, along with almost all the teachers in their school year. Tanimura had become a photo model, and now was residing in Singapore. And he had told him that Yamada Miiko had become a journalist. A reporter.

Tappei closed his eyes at the image of his certain old friend. Yamada Miiko. Before Kenta and Yukko came again into his life, he never knew what happened to that silly girl. Deep inside himself, he knew he missed her the most. That girl was different.

Tappei knew that his self-guilt was majorly because of her. He practically beat himself for not telling her—at least her and Kenta—that he would leave.

He shut the shower and walked out the bathroom.

* * *

"Welcome to Japan!" a cheery female voice greeted. "Do you need some accommodation, sir?"

Tappei ignored her as he tried to shoo his tiredness. He picked up his bags and walked towards one of the taxis. He sat in one and told the driver his destination. His mother had agreed when Tappei called her, asking her if he could stay. She was ecstatic when he said that he was looking forward of meeting his stepsister, Yuki.

It took him several hours to reach his mother's new house. She hadn't changed, Tappei mused. Makiko still ran Lazy Moon, and the store didn't seem to change. Tappei was sure he could find things with his eyes closed.

In the age of sixteen, Yuki didn't look exactly like him, but she exactly had his sharp tongue. When Makiko introduced them, it had taken her a minute to insult his hair. Tappei hated his hair. Jones had volunteered herself to cut it a week before he went back to his hometown, since her mother owned a salon and whatnot. It turned out so bad, making the young swimmer had to wear hats wherever he went.

When their mother had left them for the shop, she looked back at him; the amusement of seeing his ruined hair still remained. "If you're this hilarious, old brother, I wonder why we couldn't meet sooner."

Tappei snorted and she laughed. "Oh, and by the way, this is for you. Fame's waiting, isn't it?"

He took the letter and read it. Yuki was right. That was the reminder of the interview he would be in. He had agreed to the interview before he went back, and it would be held next week. _Alright then_, he said to himself.

Yuki smiled. "An interview to go?" she asked.

Tappei nodded. "Next week."

She picked up the letter and saw the name of the newspaper. "I remember someone told me your friend is working in there. I don't know her name, though."

Tappei nodded, but he didn't give it much thought.

* * *

A/N: About names... my comics put surnames in the front, and switching it makes it a bit odd. Sorry!

Look, finally some Tappei! I know his parents remarried, but I want to make some twist that not everyone are that happy, okay? *evil laugh* Reagan (name's taken from Reagan Pasternak XD) and Yuki belongs to me! I'll probably take names from Wikipedia's Miiko Underground, since I'm crap at giving names. :)


	3. Awkward? Indeed

**Chapter Three: Awkward? Indeed**

* * *

Tappei spent his break by wandering around his childhood neighbourhood. Unlike Lazy Moon, it had changed. The swimming pool he used to go was no longer there, and a small department store stood as a change. The park he used to play with Kenta, Yamada, and his other friends was still there, but the trees and the playground had changed. The small bookstore and the butcher shop had gone, and Tappei wondered where those places were now.

He sometimes went with Yuki to her school. She reintroduced him to his hometown, and he was glad with that. It turned out that she had gone to his elementary school, and, unlike him, she excelled in academic lessons. When she used her glasses and opened her books, she reminded Tappei to Yoshida.

"Tappei?"

The swimmer looked back and saw a curly-haired woman, still plump from her childhood. Her hand was gripping a huge sketchbook, while the other was holding a bag filled with drawing tools. Her eyes, as well as his, flashed in recognition.

"Shimura?"

"Long time no see," she sneered. "What makes you come here?"

Tappei patted his own head, which was covered in his usual cap. "I'm taking a break," he said, pretending not to hear her condescending tone. "So I come home."

Shimura nodded. "Yukko told us she and Kenta met you last year. Well, why don't we go to my house, and share more stories? I wonder why our friends haven't met you yet."

"Alright." Tappei answered curtly.

* * *

Shimura Mari lived with her oldest sister, who was working the time Tappei came into her house. She lived a bit far from her old house, and she had her own studio.

"Hope I can make your story into a comic," she said, looking out the window. "Too bad our friends are still working now. Oh, you can sit there."

The swimmer obliged, and was extremely uncomfortable when she stared at him. He knew exactly what she wanted from the stare alone. He had gotten them from the Satou couple, after all. "Now, spill. I've heard things from Yukko and Kenta and now I want to hear your version."

_See?_ Seeing no way out from this, Tappei slowly retold his story. How guilty and sorry he was for abandoning them, but his pride had defeated him. Shimura scoffed at that.

"I see," she finally said. "But your _pride_ destroyed us, you know."

Tappei lifted his eyebrow, but didn't say anything.

"Kenta punched the wall after your mother told us you had left. He broke some of his fingers. Miho cried herself sick and was absent in her first day in middle school. Miiko didn't want to talk about you. And she still does."

At the mention of his old friend, Tappei launched himself towards her. "How's she?"

Shimura scoffed once again. "See that you still care for her after all."

"How's she?" he snarled.

"Fine," she rolled her eyes. "She's still as noisy as ever, you know her. And Yoshida's going to propose to her this Christmas. I'm sure Kenta and Yukko have told you?"

* * *

Tappei staggered out Shimura's house, his face ashen. He still couldn't believe what he had heard.

_Yoshida's going to propose to Yamada?_

After hearing the news, he hurriedly excused himself. Shimura walked him out, her brown eyes shone in something indescribable. Tappei wasn't sure about this, but he saw she smiled a bit before she closed the front door. The smile made him shudder, because it reminded him of his mother's smile every time he got chocolates from his crazy fangirls in his elementary school.

Tappei walked without any destination in mind. He saw the mysterious comic writer from his childhood (Hono Heriko or something like that) walked nearby. Her hair was mostly grey and she wore glasses behind her weary eyes, but she still carried her sketchbook with her.

Not everything changed, it seemed.

_Well, all but Yamada._

Tappei's insides tingled when he remembered her name. His mind played the memories of the short, silly girl he once knew. The girl who, just like Tappei himself, had been too naive and childish. The girl who had been his playmate since God-knows-when. The girl who had spirits like fire, the girl who he had been harassed every time he had a chance.

And now she was getting married.

_And not to you._

Tappei scoffed at his own mind. _Why it has to be me?_

_Because you loved her. No, you _love_ her._

"Whatever," he muttered to himself before resumed his walking. Little did he know that a certain young man was staring at him from under a tree quite solemnly.

* * *

Two weeks passed pretty quickly. Tappei had met many of his old friends, Tanimura, Yoshiki, and Yamada excluded. They had practically beaten him for leaving like that, but he knew that they were happy that he was finally back, even if that was only for several months.

And now, he was sitting in a rather uncomfortable plastic chair in the quiet stadium. He was waiting for the interview. Nobody was there when he arrived. He knew he was early. The reporter would come in several minutes, if he or she was someone who valued time more than everything.

"Mr. Eguchi? It's nice to see you."

Tappei looked up and saw a fine-looking young man, a bit eccentric with his blond hair reaching his shoulders. His face was stoic, as if he had a hard past. He frowned; maybe he had seen this guy around somewhere in his childhood?

"My name is Yuuma," he said, bowing at him. "I'm not the one who's going to ask you questions, but I want to say thank you for coming. My brother once told me about you."

"Oh... alright. You're welcome. And thank you." Tappei bowed back at him.

Yuuma nodded and sat next to him. "She will come soon. She just needs to prepare herself. Always be the last, she is."

"She?"

"The one who will interview you."

"Oh."

"Yuuma, can you please leave? I'm ready." A woman's voice broke the silence. Yuuma complied and left.

Tappei looked up and gaped.

"Good morning, Tappei," the speaking woman greeted through gritted teeth.

"Yamada?"

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the delay! 12th grade is starting to get under my skin, darn. I wonder can you help me with the questions Miiko will ask Tappei? Pretty please, please, please?

And for Maruki Shitoichi, thanks for the review. :)

Dan berhubung kita senegara, cinta bahasa asli ya :P

Sebelumnya selamat puasa dulu dong :D (meskipun gue nggak puasa)

Oh ya, soal Miiko jadi sama Tappei... maybe yes maybe no. Gue nggak jamin mereka bakal jadian lho. Kali aja Miiko malah nikah sama Yoshida. *tawa setan* Intinya gue nggak jamin. Makanya baca terus! *plak *promosi


	4. Forced Professionalism

**Chapter Four: Forced Professionalism**

* * *

"It's a pleasure to meet you," the brunette said, her face blushing slightly. Tappei couldn't stand it. _Why is she getting stiff all of the sudden?_

Yamada sat down, her face was a mask of forced professionalism. "I heard you won the gold medal in swimming competitions for all Americans. It must be very good for you, being the first non-American who won it. How do you feel?"

"Elated, of course," Tappei answered, almost sarcastically. It was like every famous athlete who was asked about their feelings. _Of course he's happy!_ "I'm Japanese by blood, yes. But America has trained me, and I've been an American citizen already, so feeling like the first non-American… it doesn't exist."

When he stopped talking, she didn't press and went into another question instead.

"You're preparing for the next Olympics, right?"

Tappei frowned. "Well, yes."

Yamada smiled slightly, which was unsurprisingly out of the character of hers. "What have you done for the preparations?"

Tappei shrugged inwardly. Suddenly the reality hit his insensible mind, and he immediately understood. Yamada was hurt. He had hurt her and she probably wouldn't want to speak to him again if it wasn't for this interview.

He looked at the woman, but slowly she changed. She changed to a little girl Tappei used to know, whose face was blurring slightly. The girl was pointing at him angrily, her eyes tearful.

_What have you done?! _He could hear her childish chants. _What have you done, Tappei?! _

The swimmer's thoughts were ripped away by a hand waving in front of him. Yamada stared at him with her huge, innocent brown eyes. That was quite shocking to see her eyes like that, because it was the only thing that hadn't changed. "I've been talking," she said indignantly. "But I think your mind is drifting somewhere else."

"Sorry," Tappei muttered a reply, and Yamada nodded gravely. She leaned back on her seat.

"It's okay. Now," she said, her voice clear. "What have you done for the preparations?"

"Obviously intensifying my practice hours," Tappei said, couldn't hide the bitterness from his tone. Of course he would practice more; Yamada should've been able to figure that out. "And I decide to teach some of the juniors if I have time."

"Why is that?"

"I think it's my time to make my own swimming school," Tappei said, his voice slightly dreamy as he imagined his biggest dream. "You know, something under my own name. And for that, I need teaching skills. One can't be a teacher without teaching, right?"

She nodded, and Tappei felt the tension between them melted slowly. "I guess you're right," she said. "I've heard you really wanted to be a baseball player. Why do you become a swimmer instead?"

Tappei wanted to snort. He really did. Yamada did more than just 'heard'. She _knew_ it. He had obsessed over Tochiro, the famous baseball player back in his childhood days, after all. He remembered the day they had discovered it, Yamada and Shimura had been fighting over a silly book Tappei didn't bother to know.

A hand was waving in front of his eyes again and this time Yamada didn't bother to hid her annoyance. She narrowed her eyes. "You're drifting again."

Tappei mumbled his apology, making a mental note for not thinking about anything else in interviews. Yamada sighed and repeated her question.

"My dad registered me in a swimming community. He wanted me to be a good swimmer. And when I first arrived there, there was this guy. He hated me and did everything so I was kicked out the club. So I took my dad's advice and here I am."

"So baseball's a mere past, then. I never thought you'll be any more than a famous baseball player." That wasn't a question. Suddenly a small, sympathetic smile crossed Yamada's face, startling Tappei. "Tell me a bit about America," she said, and it was obvious that she was getting excited. That sent a wave of relief inside Tappei.

"It was crowded, not really like in here," he said. "I like the foods. I live in a small neighbourhood, but they are very nice, pretty much like in here."

He stopped. Yamada tilted her head, waiting for another description. Her unreadable expression gave Tappei an idea. He winked at her. "Just go and see America by your own eyes!" he said with a high-pitched, girly voice, imitating an ad he had seen on TV.

Yamada suddenly burst out laughing. Tappei wondered if he was that funny, but seeing the seriousness out of the woman's face, that made him smile as well. It was much better for him, seeing her face filled with silliness because that was Yamada he used to know.

"Alright, alright," she said finally. "Two more questions. What do you think about our national swimmers?"

"I've seen them on TV. And I know there will be some of them into the Olympics," Tappei said. "And my friend, who's obsessed with Japan, tells me many about it. I guess if they keep their practice times, I'm sure they will get at least the silver."

Yamada smiled at the optimistic remark. She obviously liked how Tappei saw his hometown's athletes. "Good for them then. Last, what will you say to people, especially Japanese, who want to be good swimmers like you are?"

Tappei knew this question well enough. People asked him about it in almost every interview he had been in. "I guess," he started. "If you're really in love with the water, let it be. Let the water control you, let it be the part of your life. With that, you'll love practicing."

"Thanks for your time, Tappei," Yamada said and stood. She bowed at him a little and shook his hand. "It's a real pleasure to talk to you."

She was going to leave the stadium when Tappei realised that he could be too late. "Yamada!"

The woman stopped, but didn't turn around. Tappei rushed towards her, grabbing her arm. "Yamada, I wonder if we can meet again and talk. You know, about things."

"Talk, you say?" came the curt answer.

Tappei, being an insensitive man, continued. "Yeah, catching things up."

Yamada slowly turned around. Her eyes were narrow and there was a forced smile on her face. "I'd love to," she said sarcastically.

"I'm serious," Tappei pressed. "Look, I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Everything!" the blond man shouted in frustration. "I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry and I really want to catch things up. To make things okay again."

The forced smile changed into a thin one. She looked up at him. "Alright then, if you insist. I know where you live, I'll drop a note there if I have a chance."

She wrenched her arm free from his grip and left the dumbfounded man as fast as she could.

When Tappei and Yamada were little, Tappei used to make her playfully angry. Or speechless.

And he wondered why now the tables were reversed.

* * *

"Who drove you home?"

"Yuuma."

Ikuya looked at her. "You seem quiet today."

Miiko smiled sheepishly. "I don't feel like talking."

"How's the interview?" he asked, and both of them could feel the jealous tone in those words.

"Fine."

"He has changed, hasn't he?" Ikuya asked as he sat closer towards the woman, circling his arm over her shoulder. They were in Miiko's apartment because Ikuya was sure she needed 'help' after the interview with their old school friend.

"Not really." Miiko's tone changed into a whiny one. "He's still insensitive as ever."

Ikuya chuckled. "I still remember Shimura telling me almost the same."

"What?"

"You complaining about Tappei. How he didn't send you the New Year card."

Miiko grinned weakly at him. "Yeah, you're right. He doesn't change at all. But things have changed, and I almost don't know him anymore."

Ikuya pulled her into a hug and kissed her forehead. "It's okay," he said. "He doesn't matter. Just remember this, darling."

The brunette looked up at him. "What?"

"I love you and you're mine."

There was silence afterwards. But then Miiko broke it.

"What do you mean I'm yours?"

Ikuya laughed, shaking his head in mixed amusement and exasperation. _Still as naïve as ever_. He merely stood and said, "Want some ice cream?"

"Yes, please!" Miiko said in excitement, the mellow words forgotten. As Ikuya walked into the dining room, Miiko unconsciously touched her arm, the one which had been grabbed by Tappei earlier. A wistful smile came on her lips.

She continued to smile to herself as the images from her childhood came. After a minute, she snapped out her reverie and walked towards the desk. She took a small piece of paper and wrote down a name of a café and a certain time and day.

She made a mental note to drop it in Lazy Moon tomorrow.

* * *

A/N: What? Long update? Sorry! I mean I'm really sorry! I wasn't really sure how this story could work, so I put it in the hiatus list. Actually I've had the vague plots of this story. But I'm still uncertain about the ending and had writer's block. But your reviews help! Thanks a lot!

For those who has complained about the OOCness, I'm really, really sorry. I'm trying, I swear. I think I need to read more. About Miiko's stiffness in the interview, I guess although she's a forgiving type, being hurt for so long isn't that easy.

Woot! Some possessive!Yoshida! XD

Bad news: Try Out for 12th graders (_kenapa harus ada UN?! KENAPA?! #orz_) are coming in November and I'm not sure when I'll update again. I have the ideas for the next one, so maybe it won't be as long as when I have to update this chap. Sorry all.

Review's answers! Wow, I got quite many of 'em.

Wind Scarlett:

Hello, dear! No, you're not overreacting, and I really appreciate your constructive critics. I admit I slipped Mamo's personality, and I hate the first chapter. Maybe I'll change it later. I'm also a pretty serious person if it comes to writing, and this story will be slightly dark, but I'll attempt more jokes :).

Miiko will ask Tappei everything, yes. But they had to deal with shock and awkwardness first. Haha, the questions! You've given me the idea for the next chapter! And yo, it's 'propose'. Maaf, typo. Thankies buat ngasih tau!

Maruki Shitoichi: Apa?! Saya pengkhianat bangsa?! XD Kaget ya? Maaf deh ^^. Oke, jawaban sudah diterima, thanks a lot!

Muthia: Thanks a lot!

Wonton Noodle (Baru kali ini gw ketemu cowok yang baca Miiko. Ada sih di kelas gw, cuma gak banyak. Hi there. :D): I'm actually threading on thin ice while making this fic. I admit this is one of my strangest fics I've ever written. Haha, thanks, I love Hono Heriko. I used to play a 'let's find Hono Heriko in Miiko series' so she's quite memorable for me. Moga-moga cerita ini tetap interesting buat lo. And thanks for pointing the typo. :)

DheKyu: Iya, iya. :D

TensaIchi: Alright, I'll manage every time I have the chance.

Twin Judge of Gemini: Cute? :D Oh, this is planned to be a quite long story. I know there's only a few Miiko fics, that's why I write this. Thanks for reading!


	5. A Café near the Station

**Chapter Five: A Café near the Station**

* * *

Yuki grinned when she saw her stepbrother stepped out from the bathroom, looking pretty neat. His blond hair, defying gravity as usual, was combed tidily and his face was cleaner. He wore a white undershirt and brown trousers. Yuki lifted her eyebrow, appreciating the view. She was no different from the other girls from her school. She had to admit she liked her stepbrother's athletic body.

"A date?" she asked, still grinning. "This fast? You just arrived!"

Tappei glared at her, but didn't say anything. Instead, he fumbled with his suitcase, looking for something else to wear. Yuki's grin faded slightly into a small smile.

"I'll take it as a yes," she said proudly.

Tappei looked up and rolled his eyes at her, seeing no use to reply her remarks.

"Congratulations, big brother," she said, lifting her eyebrow. "Make sure to make her happy, alright? Want me to fetch some presents or something?"

Tappei glared at her, which she ignored. "I can help myself, thank you very much. Now, where is that shirt? That brown one?"

"Whatever," she said, grinning again as she walked out from the room. Tappei looked up at her when she shrugged. "And make sure not to wear your brown shirt. My friend kissed it yesterday. Sorry. Couldn't stop her for loving you so much."

She was only several steps out from the room when she heard his scream.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTT?!"

* * *

"Are you sure this is okay?" Miiko asked worriedly. "You sure this doesn't look too weird or something?"

"_Weird_?" Kobayashi Yuka laughed from the bed she was sitting on. "I never think you'll ever look weird. I think you look pretty."

Miiko still looked worried. Yuka had to shake her head in exasperation. Actually, the older woman was nice-looking (in her opinion), with that dark blue jeans and a brown t-shirt. She only needed some makeup and wore those pretty high heels that Yuka had bought her as a Christmas present.

Yuka actually had to wonder, what on earth made Miiko so nervous like this. Surely it wasn't a date with Yoshida, since as long as they were together, Miiko had never barged into her house, asking for how to look more stylish or something.

A terrifying thought crossed her mind.

"Miiko?"

"Yes?" Miiko looked away from the mirror, obviously still worrying about tidying her hair. Yuka frowned. She had never seen Miiko trying to comb her hair for Yoshida, and that confused her.

"You're not... going out with someone else, right?"

Miiko's head reeled as if she'd been slapped. "What? Of course... of course not!"

Yuka merely stared at her, terrifyingly reminding Miiko of the mixture of her parents and Mamoru. Well, actually her mother's gaze was scarier than that. "No," the brunette tried her best to make her brother's girlfriend sure. "I'm just going to see an old friend. I need to make myself good for er... him, right? We haven't met for a long time, anyway."

That was a weak argument and both Miiko and Yuka knew that. But Yuka lowered her gaze and smiled at the other woman, knowing how nervous she was. "You look pretty, Miiko. But does Yoshida know about this? You should tell him where you'll go, or he'll be panicked. Remember when you went off in an emergency interview about the earthquake? He sat down here and almost bit his nails off his fingers. And then he paced a hole on my carpet."

Miiko smiled guiltily at her, although amusement flashed in her eyes for a second. "No," she finally answered, trying to sound cheerful. However, Yuka could see cold sweat of nervousness rolled down her temple and to her cheek. "It doesn't matter. We won't take long. He won't know, and I don't think he'd like it if he does."

The brunette was back combing her hair when Yuka broke the silence. "Is it Eguchi? Tappei? Your childhood friend who's now a swimmer? The one who came from America?"

Miiko froze and Yuka knew she had hit a point. And Mamoru had told her about his sister's past with the blond swimmer, which made her wonder. "Miiko," she called calmly.

"Yeah?"

"Do you... you know... like him?"

Miiko slowly turned her face at her. A deep frown crossed her forehead, destroying the makeup and the youthfulness of the face itself. She opened her mouth several times but no word came out. Their silence strengthened the tension of the room. Finally she blinked and said, "Not as much as I love Ikuya, that's for sure."

Yuka smiled an unsure smile. "Then, you're ready to go."

* * *

Yamada had given him the address of a cafe near the station, which, to Tappei's surprise, was the quietest cafe ever. It wasn't like there was nobody inside it. Instead, the place was pretty full of people, but they were busy with their own business.

The good thing was nobody recognised Tappei. The young man sat on the farthest seat from the window, musing. The waitress came and asked if he wanted to order something, but Tappei merely shook his head at her, gesturing her to wait. She did and left him alone with the cafe's list of foods and beverages.

Dark shadow fell on the menu he was reading and he looked up. Yamada was there, wearing a brown t-shirt (rather ironic if Tappei remembered about his own tee) and a pair of dark jeans. "You're late," Tappei said irritatingly.

Yamada rolled her eyes and sat down. "Give me that," she said just as irritatingly and took the menu Tappei was reading, ignoring the protest from the blond man. "I'd like some ice cream and doughnuts. You?"

It was Tappei's turn to roll his eyes. She would never change. "Soda will do."

Yamada ordered their meals and smiled at him. She looked much more at ease than at that interview. "You don't change," she said, still smiling at him. That made Tappei wonder.

"What do you mean?"

"You. And that cap. And soda." She shook her head vigorously. "And that baseball jacket. Who would have guessed? I thought not becoming a baseball player changed you or something."

Tappei didn't know what to say, so he decided to explain what was exactly happened to him. Why he didn't tell them, why he just left.

It took him an hour or so, telling her his sob story, and to his surprise she took it well. Better than Shimura, that was for sure. She didn't sneer at him or patronized him for leaving without telling. She merely nodded, her eyes grim and a deep frown crossed her forehead. But other than that, she didn't say anything.

And for that, Tappei was thankful.

"Er, Miss? Your ice cream's melting."

The passing waitress' words snapping the two old friends back to reality. Yamada's eyes widened comically at the sight of her melting ice cream. "Oh no!" she exclaimed, taking the glass and hurriedly ate the meal. Tappei looked down at his own soda, and the cream of his drink had melted into his glass. Some of the cream slid down to the table making a white stain on it. He groaned.

Yamada still looked a bit ashen when she looked up at him. "Here's my favourite place," she said cheerfully. Although Tappei knew it was still forced. "What's yours in America?"

"Well..." he mused. "There is a restaurant, my friends took me there once and let's say that place hooked me."

"What does it serve?"

"The best burger I've ever eaten. Like that. Some junk food, but the best ones," Tappei grinned. "But probably you're forbidden for that place."

She frowned. "Why?"

"Because they don't accept overweight people."

Yamada needed a minute to understand what he said. When she finally did, she glared at him and punched his upper arm from across the table. "Stop calling me fat! I'm not!" She kept doing as she said those words. "I'm. Not. Fat. Remember that!"

Tappei laughed and rubbed his sore arm. "Stop it, silly," he chided. Yamada did and she leant back at her chair. "Okay, okay, maybe you'll like it." He smiled at her. "Someday I'll take you there."

That sounded like a promise and that made the two silent.

The blond man practically hit his head for not remembering Yamada's 'taken' status. He sounded like a silly man making a promise to the girl he liked. Really he did sound like that.

Maybe because he really did like her.

"Tappei? You're drifting again."

Tappei looked at her. "Sorry."

"Never mind," she said, although there was a flash of annoyance in her eyes. "Want some?" she asked, pointing at the doughnuts. "They're the best ones."

"Really?" Tappei asked, taking one. He hadn't eaten doughnuts since he graduated college. And that meant years ago. He took a bite. It really tasted good, at least for someone who had practically forgot how doughnuts tasted like. "Nice."

"See?" she beamed at him. "Have no cafe like this back in America, yes?"

"Not like that," he mock-glared at her. "It's just... my dad doesn't like me eating junk foods and cakes and so on. Besides, I'm a swimmer, not a fat reporter."

Yamada glared at him and Tappei leant back with a grin, in case she wanted to punch him again like what they did back in the elementary school. But she merely sighed and ate her doughnut. "How's him?"

"Huh?"

"Your dad."

"He's fine. Really glad that I've become a swimmer, though. He never contacts... you know, my mother. Never."

"I can understand that," Yamada said. Then she looked at her now empty plate of doughnuts. "You know, I'm really glad you're home."

Tappei's face cracked into a grin. "Me too."

"Yukko and Kenta and Mari-Chan and the others are too. They don't hate you. We don't hate you."

"I know."

"We had beaten you or something, yes, but that doesn't mean we hate you. We just hate your cowardice—admit that, Tappei—but we're actually glad you're back in here."

Tappei hated being called a coward. Everyone he knew, even Reagan Jones, hated being called that. But this time, Yamada had said that and as painful as it was, it was the truth. She was right. "I know. I'm sorry." Sorry was a foreign word in his mouth, but it was relieving that he could say it. To Yamada, above all people.

"We all know. And you're not a coward anymore." She grinned. "If you were still one, you would've no guts to come back here. So, welcome back to Japan, to us."

The blond grinned back. "Thanks a lot," he said. He hadn't felt happier than this for... how long?... maybe years.

"So... I think I should go," she said before standing up. "Mamo will be here in a minute."

Tappei stood as well. "Can I take you home or something?" he asked, braving himself. He had liked her since he was a kid and had been too shy to tell her and now, when she had a boyfriend, he had gotten the guts. Like what Jones used to say, that absolutely sucked.

She shook her head. "No thanks."

Yamada was opening her wallet to pay their meal when Tappei saw something.

"You have a driving licence. Why don't you drive home yourself?"

She smiled slightly at him. "That doesn't matter," she answered. She had this face that made Tappei decided not to ask for it again, although he knew there was something about it. He knew Yamada Mamoru's busy schedule, and there was no way he could pick her up this time.

Tappei pulled out his own wallet and paid for his soda, much to Yamada's annoyance. But finally she agreed and they paid for their own meals. They still hadn't left the place where they were standing and silence covered them like a thick black cloak.

"So," Tappei broke the silence. "See you next time?" That was a question, not a statement.

"Of course," she smiled at him. She was almost as tall as him now, and he wondered how on earth she could get this tall. "Maybe the others want to talk to you too. Thanks for today."

Tappei snorted. "Screw the formality."

Yamada laughed and looked at the window. There was a car parked near the door. "Okay... time to go. See you."

Tappei wanted to tease her, just like what he used to do. "Hey, Yamada?" he called when she was going to open the glass door.

"What?"

"Why are you wearing those heels? You're too short for your own good!"

He had run away to the men's lavatory before Yamada could answer.

* * *

Miiko huffed at the spot where Tappei had run away and shook her head exasperatedly. _He really hasn't changed_, she thought with a small smile on her face. She heard a car being honked and was forced to look away. At the sight of the car, she approached it.

"Sorry," she said not so apologetically.

Mamoru snorted next to her, but didn't say anything. She knew he was annoyed; being forced to leave one of his practice sessions was annoying after all. He began to drive the car down the street in silence. Finally he broke it.

"Those are Yuka's shoes."

"No, it's mine." Miiko insisted. "She gave it to me as Christmas present."

"I mean those look like hers." He stopped below the red light. "Why your boyfriend can't pick you up? Why me?" he asked irritatingly.

"I met Tappei," Miiko answered. "Is that enough for an answer?"

That silenced her brother instantly. Miiko decided to make it up for him. "Listen," she said, staring at him with her huge eyes. "I know you're sore at me because of this, but I'm sorry. I'm soooooooooo sorry. Okay, my dear brother? Okay?"

Mamoru rolled his eyes. "Stop that," he said in slight amusement. They were nearing Miiko's apartment. "You're not convincing me. Whatever then. Up to you."

He stopped the car. "We're here. And stop pulling me out my practice hours."

Miiko winked at him and pulled him into a sisterly hug. "Thanks, Mamo. I owe you."

With that, she was gone. The young baseball player shook his head in mixture of annoyance and happiness. His older sister had gone through many things, and seeing her happy like she used to be was a good thing. A really good thing, even.

Even if that meant he missed one of his baseball practice.

* * *

A/N: WOOO LONGER CHAPTER! YAAAAY! :D

Okay, first I'm sorry for the long update.

My modem died permanently TWICE (blame Chris Furrh for that! He killed it! Chris Furrh the Modem Killer! *points at the blond boy in my profile pic*) and once when I was almost done so it has to be changed to a new one. It's a coincidence but it died when I was looking at Chris' photos. See why I blamed him? And why did he had to be so nice looking? IN 1990?! XD *muter _Bacchanalia_ dan lari keliling kamar dengan muka dicat lipstik*

Oh, Seer! Stop rambling.

Happy late Doomsday, Merry Christmas (or Happy Holidays), and Happy New Year all! This chapter has actually done before New Year, but I've gone away for holidays at that time so yeah. Hope you all have a nice 2013! I got three books for Christmas and one of 'em is _To Kill a Mockingbird_ by Harper Lee and it was amazing! Have you guys read it?

Ideas and reviews are so very welcome!

Bad news #1: Remember Try Outs and National Exams? My holiday ends in January 7th (that's why I want this chapter to be done first) so I don't know when to update again. I also want to apply in a certain university so I have to study harder. Grr.

Bad news #2 (or maybe Good news #1?): This story is starting to be slightly dark, and it deals with some kind of depression and a bit of disability, so if you don't like them in this cheery lil fandom, you better get away from this. I'm not kidding because I don't accept flames.

Good news #1 (or #2?): I thought of better plot! And look! I've applied some Tappei/Miiko jokes! I mean, Tappei won't stop insulting Miiko, and Miiko won't stop hitting Tappei, after all. But a 25 year old woman hitting her friend's head just won't do, right? So we have Miiko hitting his upper arm instead. ^.^

Noowww, my fav part! Review's answer! Thanks all for reviewing :D

DheKyu:

Sebenernya bukan Tappei ninggalin Miiko atau gimana. Dia pindah ke AS ikut ayahnya, cuma awalnya dia nggak enak ngomongin dia bakal pergi soalnya ngepas hari kelulusan SD, jadinya dia nggak bilang apa-apa. Akhirnya dia keterusan, nggak berani bilang kalo dia tuh sebenernya udah pindah ke luar negeri sama temen-temennya.

Makasih! UN oh UN. :|

Twin Judge of Gemini:

My written Indonesian is much better for writing essays, not stories. That's why I write my stories in English. I don't think I want to translate this, because like I said, my Indonesian is as stiff as a board. If someone wants to I won't mind, as long as they tell me first.

Yes, you just read the longer chapter! It's around 2.400 words, and it's longer than the others. Well, I know UN isn't that hard, but still. D: Thanks a lot!

Wonton Noodle:

Thanks for keeping up with me! And yes, I'll watch my step :D

I know! That's why I'll keep threading and will write as soon as I can. And it's okay of you don't have any suggestion, I'll go out there and find more inspiration :D

Ryuzaki Miki:

Why thank you *is flattered*. And yes, the 4th was the last, but hey, I updated! :D

Pleased to meet you too!

Muthia: (oke anda review di chap.2 but gapapalah :D)

Iya, iya. *lari buat ngupdate*

lidiishere:

Hello too! And yes, I'm from Indonesia. Why? Are you an Indonesian as well? :D

Thanks! And I'll do my best :)


	6. Bakeries, Threats, and Too Much to Think

**Chapter Six: Bakeries, Threats, and Too Much to Think**

* * *

"You seem distant today," Ikuya said when their car stopped under the red light. "Job pressure?"

The words snapped his girlfriend from her musings. "Oh. Nothing."

Ikuya merely lifted his eyebrow. "Come on, give me your smile," he spoke softly, poking the corner of Miiko's mouth with his index finger. "Cheer up a bit. Smile for me, please?"

Miiko eventually smiled, reminding Ikuya how much he loved her. He gave her a peck on the cheek before returning to his steering wheel. "You know you can tell me everything," he coaxed, refocusing his eyes to the street. Seeing no chance of getting anything out of her, he decided to talk about something else. "Have you seen your mother lately?"

Miiko seemed relieved at the change. "What? Oh, not yet. I will, promise. Maybe tomorrow." She still sounded a bit detached, but for Ikuya it was much better. He knew how silent Miiko could be in her bad mood.

"She called my mom," Ikuya elaborated amusedly. "Don't know what they are debating over."

"They're such great friends," Miiko finally laughed. "Mamo's fed up with that. Remember when he visited with us?"

Her boyfriend chuckled as their memories filled their minds. It was really amusing to see Mamoru rushed out the house in annoyance when he came to visit and found his mother on the phone, arguing about something for about two hours. They had become friends since Ikuya and Miiko started dating, and surprisingly they had got along quite well.

Speaking about that amusing day, Miiko and Ikuya were there, too, and also Yuuma and...

Realising that his girlfriend had fallen into silence again, Ikuya decided to speak. "Miiko, darling? What is it?"

This time Miiko didn't answer, and the actually short trip to her office seemed to be much longer.

* * *

"Welcome to Satou Bakery!" a young man, probably in his middle twenties, greeted. "What can I... oh, hi, Tappei."

"Hello, Kenta," Tappei nodded at him. He looked around. The smell of bread he had known in his childhood filled his senses again, forcing him to remember the old bakery Kenta's father had. It was a beautiful memory, but still, his sudden departure tore it to pieces. He still couldn't help but to wonder why Kenta and Yamada and all his old friends had accepted him with such happiness.

"Er, Tappei? You're disrupting the line."

"Oh, sorry."

Tappei stepped out the line, ignoring those people's glares at him. He found a small table in the corner and sat on it. He ordered a cup of coffee and continued his musings.

When they met in Australia, Kenta had told him he had owned a huge bakery. He sold his old one, the one his parents had inherited to him, and made a new one, complete with a small cafe. It was a quite successful business. He named the new bakery with the same name as the old one, which make regulars from the old store easier to come.

As for Yukko, she did help her husband in bread-making. It was Kenta who had told her to 'see another life outside of a loaf of bread'. He knew she loved children, and decided to push her to be a social worker for children. She loved it, although sometimes she helped in the bakery as well.

"Hey," came a quiet voice.

Tappei looked up and saw Kenta, his white apron in his grip. "I thought you came to talk to me, so..."

"I do," Tappei said quietly. "Sit down and let me buy you something."

Kenta obliged, and Tappei wondered how they could become this awkward. They had been best friends!

"So," Tappei slowly said, breaking the awkward silence. "How's Yukko?"

Kenta smiled his usual big smile, which came up every time someone mentioned Yukko. "She's fine, and..." he trailed off. "This is just between you and me, but I think she's pregnant. She just hasn't told me yet."

"What?" Tappei couldn't help but to blink in surprise. "Congratulations! Call me when she's told you. It's great."

"Thanks," Kenta grinned. "And I will. So... have you met the others?"

Tappei was perplexed with the abrupt change, but nodded nonetheless. "I've met Yamada," he said, because he knew it was something Kenta really wanted to hear.

"You've met her?" Kenta smirked and narrowed his eyes at him. "How come you're still alive?"

Tappei grinned. "She interviewed me, of course she couldn't kill me or she'd lose the news. And then she called me and we met again. She forgave me."

"Of course she did," Kenta replied. "She forgives everyone. I always think it's a bad idea, having your heart on your sleeve."

"But that's Yamada."

"Yep. Have you met Yoshida?"

At the mention of the name, Tappei's expression darkened. "Not yet. Don't think I want to."

Kenta didn't say anything to answer that, but somehow Tappei knew his silence had something to do with him and Yamada. "Why?" he asked eventually. "He was your friend too, you know."

Tappei didn't have any answer for that, and he knew Kenta didn't need any.

* * *

It was dark when Tappei finally left the bakery. He ended up helping Kenta, just like what he did when he was still a kid. Yukko came by when they were busy working, and it was really wonderful to see them together. They were just meant to be, as if the stars had destined them together, written their names in a parchment of lovers.

But it didn't seem the same between him and Yamada.

_Wait a sec._

_What's between me and her?_

Tappei stopped himself before his mind continued to produce weird things and sappy stuff. In conclusion, aside from a sudden fan girls, Tappei's day in the bakery went out really well. He had tried to work part-time in a pastry shop near his house, but it was absolutely paled in comparison with this.

He was walking towards the nearest bus stop when a car honked behind him. He looked back and saw a black, plain car, and there was a man driving it. The man gave him a sign to come over.

Lifting his eyebrows, Tappei approached the car. The window slid down and an unrecognisable voice was heard.

"Come on in, Tappei."

"Who are you?" Tappei asked challengingly.

"Someone you know," the voice demanded. "Just hop in."

Tappei obliged, merely because of his curiosity. "Who are you?" he repeated. "If you were one of my friends, I surely don't remember you. Sorry."

"You really don't remember?" the man asked bitterly, sounded really hurt. He lit the lamp on the car's ceiling, flooding the car with light. "Recognise me?"

Tappei blinked in realisation. "You... Yoshida?"

Yoshida merely nodded, staring at Tappei as he, too, stared at him. "You haven't changed."

_You too_, Tappei thought sarcastically. Yeah, just like most of the others, Yoshida didn't change. Not really. He still had that air of calmness around him, his blond hair combed neatly, and his clean-cut attire truly showed him as a model teacher. Tappei wanted to sneer.

"I'll take you home today." Yoshida suddenly said, his voice leaving no argument. He switched off the light and started to drive the car down the street. "I remember we haven't met yet."

Tappei shifted on his seat, feeling truly uncomfortable. Yoshida was stiffer than he remembered, and he wondered why. He got the answer soon enough, though.

"You met Miiko." It wasn't a question.

"Yeah. So?"

Yoshida's car stopped under the red light and Tappei could see his dark silhouette leaning against the wheel, obviously trying to calm himself down. Tappei frowned. He and Yoshida were never close, but he never acted so... strange like this.

"What are you trying to say?" Tappei asked finally, couldn't stand the eerie silence.

Yoshida straightened and took a deep breath. He seemed... angry, if the Calm and Collected Yoshida Ikuya was possible to be angry. "What I'm trying to say is you better stay away from her."

Tappei straightened as well, annoyance slipped into him. "You can't tell me what to do," he replied, glaring at his old schoolmate. "She's my friend!"

_Friend?_

"_Was_ your friend," Yoshida rebutted, cutting Tappei's sarcastic thought. "You don't know what she's been through!"

"What?" Tappei's eyes widened.

Yoshida continued speaking as if Tappei didn't say anything. "You just left like that! She was lucky to have me around, or she..." Yoshida stopped and returned his attention to the street once again, driving the car to Lazy Moon's neighbourhood. He spoke nothing, and Tappei's efforts of pestering him were futile. Finally Tappei gave up and stared out the window instead, not wanting to talk either. He spotted the mysterious Hono Heriko, sitting in a cafe, probably drawing her new comic.

After a long while—which was only fifteen minutes—the car stopped in front of a familiar, bright store.

"We're here."

"I know." Tappei didn't even bother to soften his tone.

Yoshida glared at him, and it was strange to see him glaring. Yoshida he knew back in elementary school was a smart, delicate—if not rather weak—boy with problems towards PE, especially track running. He looked so much unlike that boy.

"Listen," he said when Tappei opened his door. "You're leaving again, so stop making things difficult for her. Especially after everything she's been through."

"What happened, really?" Tappei demanded. He wondered if there was something he missed. Something big, something great. And he sensed it wasn't a good thing. But he knew better than picking up a fight with Yoshida, especially in their first meeting after years.

"Nothing," Yoshida merely answered. He tilted his head towards Lazy Moon's entrance door. "Now you better go home and stay away from us."

Tappei slowly, reluctantly got down the car. Before he had a chance to say thank you, the car had driven away. As the car slowly disappeared, Tappei stared at it, his mind full of questions and unsolved problems.

* * *

A/N: YAY! Another chapter!

So... my exams are done, so I have more time to write! I got two more classic books (one with a WONDERFUL discount!), so yeah, I read more. My modem died again, and I wonder to tell my ma to change it. I got writer's block, so I didn't write for several days.

Alright, the list went on from there. I went back from Sunday Service and this idea kind of nagged inside my head. Unfortunately, I only managed to write it now, a one-day express. XD

I'll go back to school in April 29, for the preparation for a... we call it here a 'retret'/retreat (I go to a Catholic school) so I won't be online since then to May 3 or something. Hope I can update before it!

About possessive!Yoshida, I hope he doesn't go OOC. He has Miiko, but then there is Tappei coming along, the guy who always bested him in winning Miiko's attention. No wonder he gets possessive.

I HAVE DECIDED HOW THIS STORY WOULD END! YAAAY! Just hope I don't have writer's block until that point :D

Thanks for the reviews! Now, lemme answer 'em:

lidiishere:

Thanks a lot! Hm... I dunno how long, but it probably will go around 15k words or something. Now is around 8/9k (if these A/Ns' don't count). Probably will go longer, I can't really promise you because my muse grows with the story. And you're welcome, I'm rather proud with the last chapter as well. :D

Ryuzaki Miki:

I'm a 12th grader. How about you? Good luck for the UN (if you're still a 9th grader), hope it won't go as bizarre as mine. Yes, Miiko still has feelings for Tappei, but it'll take time for them to figure it out. I'm trying hard to write more, so thanks!

Guest #1:

Thanks a lot! I still need improvement, but I'm glad I met your standards. I decide to make a big surprise for this fic, so all you have to do is wait. Yeah *evil laugh* I know I'm bad, but I'll try to write more. I don't really like heartbroken people, although it's quite fun to write *evil laugh once again*. Thanks for reviewing! :)

au:

Thanks! You're a senior too? Good luck for your UN!

YuuNightray99:

Manaaa? Manaaa? Ini diaaa! XD

Guest #2:

Thanks for liking and reviewing! Hahahaha you're right, I've got plenty of time! Yay!

Pertanyaan kecil: Yoshida punya berapa saudara ya? Gue inget ada satu, tapi cuma mau yakinnya aja. Soalnya gue nggak koleksi komiknya, jadi agak lupa. Thanks! :)

Pertanyaan OOT: Gue pengen beli modem portabel, kayak SmartFren gitu, itu bagus ga sih? Junior gue di sekolah punya wi-fi portabel, itu beli dimana? Tolongin dong *melas*


	7. Shock of My Life

A/N: I made this one practically a song!fic. Title's inspired by Green Day's Time of Your Life. This chapter was made while listening to Bizet's Habanera, sung by Agnes Baltsa (look it up on YouTube, if you like opera, it'll be amazing). Song within this chapter (italic and put on in the middle) is Up to No Good by Rancid.

Oh, and beware of the darker aspect in this fic. This chapter contains **_disability_**, and if you **don't like** **it**, please **don't proceed**. I receive **no flames**. Enjoy!

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**Chapter Seven: Shock of My Life**

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_ 12345678!_

To say Eguchi Tappei was shocked and curious was a serious understatement.

First, he had never seen Yoshida acted so... out of character like that. Like what was said, Yoshida he remembered was a calm and collected boy who never glared, let alone threatened anyone. So, if he did something like that, something must have happened when he wasn't here.

Something related to Yamada, that was one for sure.

Second, if that concerned Yamada, he had to find out whatever it was.

* * *

_I see him walking_

_Lock your doors now_

_I hear him knocking_

_Up to no good_

Tappei found himself in Shimura's house a day later. He wasn't greeted by her, and her sister shooed him instead. "Mari is making her comic," she said sullenly, as if she didn't really like having a guest right now. Or maybe she really did. "You better come back later, Eguchi, she can be very scary if disturbed."

So, yeah. Tappei left, knowing very well how Shimura could be when furious. He was walking idly around the street near the cafe where he and Yamada met again when he saw a vaguely remembered yet so familiar sight.

It was another girl from his childhood, with dyed hair and contacts, but still recognisable. She was wearing a simple t-shirt and jeans, reminds Tappei of his stepsister, but she was carrying a leather briefcase, which became an odd sight to her image. She had dyed her hair from brown to ginger red, and wore blue contact lenses above her brown eyes. Her face was still plump (like Shimura) from her childhood, and that was the first thing that Tappei recognise from her.

And thus, Tappei approached her with certainty, hoping to get an answer this time.

"Sakamoto?"

* * *

Sakamoto Haruna couldn't be more surprised to see Tappei, although she couldn't really remember him. After graduating from college, she went back to her hometown, Fukushima, and worked there. The first reason why she remembered Tappei was because of her neighbours' rambling about the 'great Japanese swimmer in America', but then remembered clearly that he had been her classmate.

"It's been a while!" she said after they were settled in a park, about ten minutes walk from the station. "I think you'll never come back."

"What's with the hair and contacts?" Tappei hurriedly asked before she could say anything else. It seemed Sakamoto was going to elaborate her last sentence, so he grabbed the opportunity and continued the conversation as if she hadn't said anything. He didn't really feel like being scolded by another childhood friend.

She smiled. "I teach drama. You know, in my old school in Fukushima." She paused, the smile still on her face as she pulled down her red hair, showing Tappei her usual brown one. "The hair is the school's property."

They chatted for a while. Sakamoto turned out to be having a reunion with her high school friends in Tokyo, and she wanted to surprise them with her new 'appearance'. She even had made a 'fantasy park' near her house to remember her childhood friends in Tokyo, who had made her one. Children in her neighbourhood loved it.

"So, you moved after graduating?" she asked at some point.

"You too," Tappei answered, and she laughed.

"Yeah. Me and Yukko got scholarship to a private school, so we went there. She had her friends and I had mine, so we... say, drifted apart."

Tappei began to feel disappointed. If she and Yukko weren't close anymore, she wouldn't have any idea about Yamada. But he wouldn't give up.

"What about Yamada?" he demanded, straight to the point.

"Miiko? I wrote her letters sometimes, and she visited us with Mari-Chan, but after we graduated I have to move away again, this time without Yukko."

"So you lost contact," Tappei replied, his voice sounded hollow.

"Not really, but we just can't find anything interesting to talk about. Miiko started to work part-time so she didn't have time to reply my letters. Mari-Chan was too busy with her comic group, and I didn't really want to disturb Yukko and Kenta. I didn't really like how they act to me, but I understood."

Tappei was silent, since he found nothing else to ask about. Sakamoto asked about his career, and they chatted for another while, even though Tappei didn't really feel like doing it anymore. Finally she excused herself, smiling cheerfully at him as she wore back her red wig. "I think if you want to know about her, you better look for her…" She stopped before continuing, rather reluctantly. "…family."

He rose in excitement. "Are her parents still there?" he asked, referring the mansion Yamada used to live.

She shook her head. "No, sadly. They moved out somewhere. Oita, I think. After Miiko's grandma died and Mamo went to college."

A memory about a certain person hit Tappei. "What about Momo?"

Sakamoto blinked and looked down, obviously avoiding Tappei's curious gaze. "I rarely see her. I don't know. Sorry."

Tappei frowned. _Was there something wrong with the youngest Yamada?_

But before he could say anything, Sakamoto had already bowed at him and bid him farewell. It was odd to see her leaving in such a hurry, as if she had something she didn't want to tell him. Or maybe she really had.

And although nobody seemed willing to tell him, Tappei was determined to find out.

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_ 12345678!_

_Yamada Mamoru._

_Yamada Miiko._

There were not many people with Yamada as their surname living in Tokyo. After seeing Yamada Mamoru and Miiko's names, Tappei skipped them and continued looking down. There was no Yamada Momo in the telephone book, much to his absolute dismay. He almost gave up when his eyes caught another name under Yamada's surname list, directly under Yamada Miiko's name.

_Yamada Morimoto._

Tappei blinked before he wrote this Yamada Morimoto's address on a piece of paper. Then he stopped.

_Wait a second; have I seen this address before?_

With that feeling of certainty, he slowly began to trace his way up until he saw the exact address under someone else's name. Someone he used to know, and someone he had met before his interview with Yamada.

_Takashi Yuuma._

* * *

_Best intention's gets misunderstood_

_Up to no good_

Like he had guessed, he could see a '_Takashi & Yamada_' etched near the bell. The house wasn't really big, a plain one-story house painted in white and grey. It was quite far from the street, and Tappei wondered why the house was... kind of... isolated from the crowd. He even had to walk to reach this place.

He lifted his hand and pressed the bell. He had this feeling, that he knew this Morimoto, not only Yuuma, the younger brother of Shouma, the... abusive kouhai of his.

The door slowly creaked open, and a woman peeked out. She, like Sakamoto, was recognisable. She had long blond hair, like her brother, but it was wavy, like her sister's. Her eyes were wide and clear, like her sister's, but she had this coolness, something she inherited from her brother. Under her eyes were some wrinkles and faint scars, as if she had gone through _something_ _traumatic_...

"I'm sorry, but are you looking for Yuu-chan?" she asked, frowning. She probably sensed no danger from him, because she opened the door wider. Tappei could see that she was using a wheelchair. Although she looked perfectly healthy, it didn't take long for Tappei to realise that she was paralysed.

All Tappei did afterwards was calling her name as he got the shock of his life.

"Momo?"

_...or maybe she had_.

_Up to no good_

_Up to no good_

_ 12345678!_

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A/N: Alright! Here goes Momo-Chan! Her full name, Morimoto, is taken from Wikipedia (Miiko Yamada Underground/Kocchi Muite Miiko), along with Yuuma's surname Takashi (in there's only _Shouma Takashi_, but they are brothers so yeah). I know it's a boy's name, but somehow I prefer it than Momo. Sorry all! And not just for the name :) but you've been warned in Chapter 1. This is the 'disability' I've talked about.

The point about all of this is: Tappei has to find out about Momo _himself_. Nobody can tell him.

Jadiii... retret saya berjalan dengan kurang baik, saudara-saudara! Tapi itu bukan masalah besar juga, jadi ya udah. Sempet juga ngelamar jadi guru les, yang dengan berat hati harus dilepaskan (#galauberat). Sekarang kerja gue cuma nulis, belajar buat SBMPTN (#yay, dan mungkin ini juga bakal jadi **alasan buat hiatus** -_-"), dan nganterin makanan buat cari duit. Wish me luck! :D

So... anyone here watched Iron Man 3 and Asterix & Obelix? Asterix has been my childhood, and I love the movie (alright not really although I LOVE distressed!Asterix XD). I LOVE James Badge Dale (he's the evil bald man who's the henchman, but you should see him when he was 10 years old! HE WAS THE CUTENESS AND THE BOY WHO DIED FIRST DX) so I watched Iron Man 3 and ended up loving the whole movie :P

About Haruna: Since she's still a new character, I haven't known her real personality yet. So I made my own, I hope Marybelle (and the others) like it. All I know about her is she's cheerful like Miiko, but a bit... blunt like Mari-Chan and Yakko. I'm trying hard for putting those two in the scene with Tappei.

Oh ya, siapa yang mau ketemu Eriko Ono-sensei bulan depan? (SAYAAA! YAY!)

Alright! Reviews' time:

cims:

Thank you! UN, mengapa engkau harus kacau D:

Oke, oke. Gue baru aja dapet yang Telkomsel dari gereja, tapi thanks jawabannya!

Oh, udah baca kok yang #25. Waktu gue sweet 17 dikasih itu ama temen :D

Marybelle (sori waktu itu gue ga liat namanya ^^):

I've thought about Haruna, and I think I can put her in. I'm not sure if she will appear again or not, since she appeared just… last minute. I'm sorry for making their friendship drifted away like this, but I couldn't think about a better way. Sorry! Maybe I'd make her rejoining up the trio (Miiko, Mari, Yukko) in the end.

I've read it, of course. Thanks to my friend from church who bought it for my Sweet 17th birthday last month :D

lidiishere:

The national exams? BIZZARE. Gue juga bingung kenapa bisa kacau bener begitu -_- Mungkin karena UN SMA itu paling duluan kali ya…

I don't know about who ends up with whom. I should keep writing so I'd know XD Tsundere!Tappei is tempting, though XD

I think it's Ikuya. I've seen one with Takuya, but Ikuya is more often so I use that one. In Wikipedia, I think it's Tatsuya.

No, Yoshida has a sister. But I just can't remember how many or what's her name.

SMARTFREN, BAYAR ANAK INI KARENA DIA SUDAH JADI SALES VIRTUAL. CEPAT! :D

Ryuzaki Miki:

Thanks a lot! And yeah, it's been a while. And yeah (again), I have writer's block.

If you have something to write, write it down before it disappears. Really. :D

Jealous!Yoshida is rather fun to write, and Tappei... yes! Keep fighting, my boy! XD

Yes, it's Yuuma and Momo-Chan. I always think they're like Miiko/Tappei.

I didn't really have a nice trip, still, thanks a lot (again)!

Sashamiivers29:

Yoshida is a committed type of guy, and he loves Miiko so much so I can't put Yoshida/Mari right now or it'd be infidelity (cheating) for me. I've been thinking about that pairing since ever, I love them too, but not now. Probably towards the end. I hope so. :) And thanks a lot!

flamboyant writer:

Thanks a lot! I'm trying, but you know... modem and RL keeps blocking me out D:


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